This unit of competency supports the needs of builders, site managers and forepersons in the building and construction industry.

Nil

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Determine areas of potential risk in the building and construction workplace.

1.1. Specific risks for the range of occupations in the workplace are identified and prioritised.

1.2. Construction site safety is evaluated and construction hazards and potential risk areas are identified in accordance with legislative requirements for OHS and company policies.

1.3. Hazards are identified and prioritised and required approaches to remediation are documented.

2. Inspect and report on areas of specific risk.

2.1. Inspection of the workplace is conducted to identify specific risks for the range of identified occupations.

2.2. Expert advice, including advice from workplace personnel, is sought as appropriate.

2.3. Inspection report is completed in accordance with best practice and statutory obligations.

3. Advise on implementation of control measures at the building and construction workplace.

3.1. Recommendations are made from findings of inspection report.

3.2. Relevant parties are consulted regarding compliance issues relating to statutory requirements.

3.3. Agreed control measures are implemented in conjunction with relevant workplace personnel.

3.4. Effectiveness of control measures are monitored and reviewed.

4. Establish and review communications and educational programs.

4.1. Effective strategies for communicating OHS policy and practice are determined in consultation with appropriate personnel.

4.2. Communication strategies and educational programs specific to the building and construction industry and in accordance with statutory requirements and best practice are established.

4.3. Effectiveness of the communication and educational programs is reviewed.

Required skills

Required skills for this unit are:

application of regulatory requirements, including safe work method statements and plans such as site safety plans

appropriate literacy and numeracy skills

attention to detail in applying building codes and standards

communication skills to:

enable clear and direct communication, using questioning to identify and confirm requirements, share information, listen and understand

seek expert advice and consult with relevant parties and workplace personnel on a variety of issues

use language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences

use and interpret non-verbal communication

written communication skills to complete inspection reports and maintain records

conducting OHS legislation and documentation research

construction site inspection techniques for OHS compliance

interpretation and application of construction documentation

interviewing skills

knowledge of the technical and trade skills in building and construction processes

maintaining records and documents

negotiation and conflict resolution skills

OHS auditing skills

OHS compliance investigation skills.

Required knowledge

Required knowledge for this unit is:

building and construction industry contracts

current workplace and OHS legislation and advisory standards applicable to each State and Territory, such as:

Asbestos Advisory Standards

Concrete Pumping Supplement

Construction Workplace Advisory Standard

Demolition Advisory Standard

Excavation Advisory Standard

Falling Objects Advisory Standard

Falls from Heights Advisory Standard

Formwork Advisory Standard

Manual Handling in the Building Industry Advisory Standard

Noise Advisory Standard

Plant Advisory Standard

Scaffolding Advisory Standard

Steel Construction Advisory Standard

Work on Roofs Advisory Standard

other relevant state or territory building and construction codes, standards and government regulations.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

This unit of competency could be assessed by conducting an OHS inspection and developing an OHS risk analysis for a building project.

This unit of competency can be assessed in the workplace or a close simulation of the workplace environment, provided that simulated or project-based assessment techniques fully replicate construction workplace conditions, materials, activities, responsibilities and procedures.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of the ability to:

comply with organisational quality procedures and processes

apply and interpret relevant documentation and codes

accurately apply national and State and Territory OHS requirements relating to construction workplace

identify faults and problems impacting on OHS and proposed action to rectify.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This competency is to be assessed using standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints.

Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge will usually be conducted in an off-site context.

Assessment is to comply with relevant regulatory or Australian standards' requirements.

Resource implications for assessment include:

current copy of relevant state OHS legislation, regulation and advisory standard for first aid

samples of workplace incident data and incident reports

other relevant codes, standards and government regulations

office equipment, including calculators, photocopiers and telephone systems

computers with appropriate software.

Reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities must be made to assessment processes where required. This could include access to modified equipment and other physical resources, and the provision of appropriate assessment support.

Method of assessment

Assessment methods must:

satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Construction, Plumbing and Services Training Package

include direct observation of tasks in real or simulated work conditions, with questioning to confirm the ability to consistently identify and correctly interpret the essential underpinning knowledge required for practical application

reinforce the integration of employability skills with workplace tasks and job roles

confirm that competency is verified and able to be transferred to other circumstances and environments.

Validity and sufficiency of evidence requires that:

competency will need to be demonstrated over a period of time reflecting the scope of the role and the practical requirements of the workplace

where the assessment is part of a structured learning experience the evidence collected must relate to a number of performances assessed at different points in time and separated by further learning and practice, with a decision on competency only taken at the point when the assessor has complete confidence in the person's demonstrated ability and applied knowledge

all assessment that is part of a structured learning experience must include a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary evidence.

Assessment processes and techniques should as far as is practical take into account the language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate in relation to the competency being assessed.

Supplementary evidence of competency may be obtained from relevant authenticated documentation from third parties, such as existing supervisors, team leaders or specialist training staff.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Specific risks for various occupations within the building and construction industry relate to:

commonly used construction equipment, including:

concrete mixers

manually operated power tools

handheld tools

wheelbarrows

mechanical trowels

commonly used high risk construction equipment, including:

lasers

explosive powered tools

compressed air nailing tools

ladders

high pressure jetting systems

material conveyors

cranes, hoists and lifting gear

demolition, including:

abrasive blasting

asbestos removal

civil construction work, including excavation and trenching work

Class 1 electrical work

concrete pumping

environmental conditions

exposure to ultraviolet light (UVL)

masonry and concrete cutting

pre-cast concrete product installation

pre-stressing and post-tensioning operations

protruding objects

spray painting

stacking and storing materials

steel construction

steel fixing

working at heights

working on roofs

fall protection and access equipment

falling objects

falls from height

formwork

pressure equipment

scaffolding

welding, cutting and gouging processes in the construction industry in particular, oxy-acetylene.

Legislative requirements for OHS may include:

emergency procedures, including extinguishing fires, organisational first aid requirements and evacuation

environmental requirements to cover water quality management

may include waste management, stormwater protection and clean-up protection

handling activities that may require the assistance of others or the use of manual or mechanical lifting devices where size, weight or other issues, such as disability are a factor

legislative requirements to be adhered to in all planning and implementation stages, which may require the development and use of site safety plans and safe work methods statements hazard control

hazardous materials and substances

organisational first aid

personal protective equipment (PPE) prescribed under legislation, regulations and workplace policies and practices

safe operating procedures, including the conduct of operational risk assessment and treatments associated with:

machines

surrounding structures and facilities

traffic control

underground services

working in confined spaces

trip hazards

work site visitors and the public

working at heights

working in confined spaces

working in proximity to others

use of firefighting equipment

use of tools and equipment

workplace environmental requirements and safety.

Inspection report may include:

checklists

company safety procedure forms

hazard sheets

prescribed self assessment tools identified by a relevant state or territory authority (relevant legislation must be applied).

Relevant parties include:

designers

employers

manufacturers and importers

members of site safety committees

persons in control of workplaces

principal contractors

self-employed persons and subcontractors

suppliers of plant

workers.

Workplace personnel include:

employers

members of site safety committees

persons in control of workplaces

principal contractors

self-employed persons and subcontractors

workers.

Communication strategies include:

issued site specific instructions and signage

verbal communications

written communications, including memos and emails.

Educational programs include:

general and site-specific induction training, noting that OHS induction training provided must meet the requirements of the jurisdiction in which the construction work is undertaken

other forms of specialist and targeted training.

Unit sector

Construction

Nil

This unit contains employability skills.